Tampilkan postingan dengan label found wood. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label found wood. Tampilkan semua postingan

0
"Land of Lincoln", My Nibblefest Contest Entry for Sept's 'Furry Friends' Theme





"Land of Linclon", Original Acrylic Painting on 5.5" x 12"Wood Panel


September's Nibblefest Art Contest week has started (on the 20th).  The theme for this month is "Furry Friends" and this is my interpretation/entry.....




  I kicked around only a few ideas for "Furry Friends" before finally settling upon this one.  It's actually an image I've had in my head ever since a Nibblefest contest a few months back, when the theme was "Animals in Hats".  I had fully intended to participate that month -- ruminating on all kinds of well-known, historic hats that I could potentially work with.  Lincoln's iconic 'stove-pipe' top hat came to mind, and so I planned to create a portrait of Abe sporting an exaggeratedly tall top hat, with an owl peeking out from a hole in it.  The owl (appropriately symbolizing 'wisdom") would literally be "IN a hat", rather than the more obvious route of having an animal WEARING a hat.   In the end however, it was such a crazy busy summer that I never did manage to even start on an entry that month, despite my clear concept and the fact I'd fished around in my stash of second-hand canvases and painting supports to find the perfect, tall-and-skinny piece of found wood....    

Fast forward to this month when I was thinking about "Furry Friends".  Animals came to mind of course, but while I do adore critters of all ilk -- I just couldn't get myself in the mood to paint one.  Mostly I couldn't stop thinking of my earlier Lincoln portrait idea -- the image repeatedly popping into my mind.  And so, figuring he's portrayed often enough in the historical record with a beard that he reasonably counts as 'furry', it's the route I took....



"Land of Lincoln" Side View, showing painting extended on all sides, as shown here.....



I did change a few things from my original concept.  For one, I swapped out the owl I'd initially had in mind, with a cardinal.  The Cardinal is the official state bird of Illinois, Abraham Lincoln's home state (and mine).  The following is my auction description:



 

I live in Illinois, not so terribly far from the state capital of Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln, our much-beloved 16th president, lived, worked, grew a beard (hence was 'FURRY'), and got his start in politics.  I recall taking school trips to his home and his grave in my youth -- and went on to take my own children to these revered sites, plus others that have opened since (such as a really terrific museum/presidential library).  All of this Lincoln lore attracts multitudes of tourists to our area, and as a result Mr. Lincoln is mighty Big Business in these parts (like, nearly as big as Corn and Soybeans). Sadly, despite this legacy, my state (whose official state bird is the Cardinal) is not currently on especially sound footing, not financially, politically or otherwise.  As we continue ride on Mr. Lincoln's coattails, I can't help but wonder sometimes what he might think of our "Land of Lincoln" , as the marketing slogan goes, if he could somehow be with us today....."







0
"The Bronte Sisters", My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry for May's 'PORTRAIT' Theme



My Nibblefest Art Contest entry for May,
"The Bronte Sisters":




"The Bronte Sisters", painted in acrylics on a 3.5 x 4 found, wooden plaque.

Once again, Nibblefest Art Contest Week rolls around, with May's theme being 'PORTRAIT'.... 

Well, anyone who follows this blog surely knows portraiture has to be among my very favorite things to paint.  Regular readers might also recognize this particular piece from a few months ago, back when I was attempting to follow the last '29 Faces Challenge' (as written about in this previous blog post).  Indeed, though I did fail pretty miserably in my challenge bid that time around, managing maybe only half of the 29 Faces during the course of the month (oops), all was not quite lost because I did come up with this particular little painting at the time, with which I was well pleased....


'The Bronte Sisters' tribute portrait, view to the right side


As I'd explained in my earlier post (linked above), I stumbled across this funny, little wood plaque at a charity garage sale years ago.   Unfortunately it never occurred to me to get a 'before' picture -- but please take my word for it that it had originally been painted in such a way to suggest a rudimentary 'slice of bread', complete with those curvy, carved sides.  Well, while I do like to re-purpose the old found frames and plaques that I find around and about town, the size and shape of this particular one had had me sufficiently stumped for ideas -- and so, I put it aside.  For years. 


Quarter for Size Reference

Until it finally occurred to me during the 29 Faces Challenge when I dug it out that the curvy sides looked exactly like ''heads' and 'necks' to me.  And that despite the plaque's petite size, I realized there was room for three separate faces.  It was then that it sprang to mind to paint a tribute portrait of the lovely and talented 'Bronte Sisters' (while painting on all sides, 'in the round' as it were, for a 3D effect).....


'The Bronte Sisters', view to the Left Side



The following is my auction description:  


"The Bronte Sisters"

My piece for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being 'Portrait') is an original arylic painting on a small and curvy, found wooden plaque (3.5" x 4").  Complete with painted sides for a 3_D effect (see pictures for details), my entry features a triple portrait of the famous literary sister team of the 19th Century, 
 The Bronte's:  
Anne Bronte:  (17 January, 1820 – 28 May, 1849), author of
'Agnes Grey' and 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'


Emily Bronte:  (30 July, 1818 – 19 December, 1848), author of
'Wuthering Heights'



Charlotte Bronte:  (21 April, 1816 – 31 March, 1855), author of
'Jane Eyre'


  The Bronte's were a talented lot, but it wasn't exactly an easy life.  Losing their mother at a very young age to disease, losing two elder sisters to more disease, dealing with a troubled alcoholic brother and enduring sexism galore (a cultural norm at the time) in regards to their writing and publishing, they then each went on to get ill in their 20's and 30's and enter into early graves themselves.  But happily not before leaving behind a body of work that remains much beloved and classic reading to this very day.....

..........


"The Bronte Sisters", a view from the top.....



'The Bronte Sisters', view from the bottom.....



.....................

 
To see ALL the great 'Portrait'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....
 



0
"Owlie" Ties for 2nd Place in NIbblefest




It's been quite a long while since I've placed in the Nibblefest Art Contest, so it was a very nice surprise indeed to discover my "Owlie" entry tied for Second this month.  What a hoot (pun intended) --- here's a big shout out of thanks to all my lovely bidders and supporters -- I truly appreciate it!



"Owlie" ties for Second Place

0
My April Nibblefest Art Contest entry (theme: TREES): Meet "Owlie"




It's Nibblefest Art Contest week!   We're smack in the middle of it.

As usual Nibblefest began on the 20th.  With April's theme being 'Trees', I composed a blog post for the Nibblefest blog in order to introduce this month's theme, featuring some lovely Tree-inspired art by lots of Nibblefest Artists (including an older piece of my own).  I then entered myself on the 20th with the following:

"Owlie"  8.5 x 5 acrylic on found, old wood




Long time readers may recall I've painted a version of 'Owlie' before, back in 2012, when I participated in the very first internet-wide  '29 Faces' Art Blog Challenge.  I was working on a project at the time by which I was painting 'guest' entries into the personal art journals of my private art students.  Just as a lark, in one of the journals I whipped up a funny-looking-yet-charismatic, anthropomorphic owl/human hybrid:


'Owlie' as I painted in my student's art journal

I recall being tickled with how he (she???) turned out, and have wanted to experiment with "Owlie" further ever since.  With a theme like this month's 'Trees', I figured I finally had my chance. 
(And be forewarned -- I'm rather partial to this wee creature, so it's probably not the last you've seen of little "Owlie")....:

:






The following is my auction description:

"Owlie" My entry for the month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for April being 'TREES') is an original acrylic painting on an 8.5" x 5" found, thin segment of found wood.

Painted in acrylics and featuring a wee and mysteriously winsome nocturnal creature, tree-dwelling and perched upon a branch on a chilly, moonlit evening, "Owlie" is signed, sealed and ready to hang....

.....................

To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....


0
'The Bronte Sisters': Day 6 of the '29 Faces' Feb 2013 Challenge




So it's been a couple of days since I last posted, but no worries -- with this post I'm all up to date with my Faces for the "29 Faces Challenge".  Since Monday I've been working on this piece with three figures for my Faces #4, #5, and #6.   And so we have here my own little tribute to the ever talented, but ever tragic, Bronte Sisters....:


Anne, Emily and Charlotte:  'The Bronte Sisters',  a 3.5 x 4 original painting

A little backstory..... years ago I picked up this funny wee wooden plaque at a charity sale.  As I've written before, I like to reuse the old frames, plaques, found wood and such like that cross my path from time to time.  This shapely little piece of wood, with its tantalizingly curvy contours, was actually originally painted in such a way as to suggest a rudimentary 'slice of bread'.  Can you see that in those indented sides...?  If I recall there was possibly even a quote on it -- maybe 'Give us this day our Daily Bread', or something like that.  In any event, I brought it home with me with the intention of recycling it for my own purposes.  But, the diminutive proportions.  And that odd shape...!   I was stumped for ideas.  And so I did what I always do when I'm stumped for ideas.  I set the funny little plaque aside.  Outta sight/outta mind....,


Photographed with a quarter, for size reference....

....that is, until I was assembling potential painting supports for this '29 Faces' Challenge.  Digging around, I pulled out the long-forgotten, oddly-shaped plaque, and was trying to figure how I might ever make use of it, when it occurred to me that I was actually seeing potential "necks" and "heads" in those curvy contours.  Why hadn't I realized that before?  Thinking on it further, I decided there was actually room on the plaque for THREE faces in all -- but..., of whom?  Just three random faces....?   Not terribly interesting.   Until it popped into my head:  3 faces.... 3 sisters.... but of course!  The Bronte girls: Anne, Emily and Charlotte -- sisters, poets and novelists, all.....


Left Side, with the painting continued onto the sides, as you can see.....


Anne Bronte:  (17 January, 1820 – 28 May, 1849), author of
'Agnes Grey' and 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'

Emily Bronte:  (30 July, 1818 – 19 December, 1848), author of
'Wuthering Heights'

Charlotte Bronte:  (21 April, 1816 – 31 March, 1855), author of
'Jane Eyre'


Right Side


The Brontes were a talented lot, but it wasn't an easy life.  Losing their mother at a very young age to disease, losing two elder sisters to disease, dealing with a troubled alcoholic brother, and enduring sexism galore (cultural norm at the time) in regards to their publishing, they then each went on to get sick in their 20's and 30's and enter early graves themselves.  But happily not before leaving behind a body of work that remains much beloved and classic reading to this day....


View from the Top


View from the Bottom

(My usual little blurbie about using recycled materials in my art:

I have recently begun painting almost exclusively on supports I create myself utilizing the old, salvaged wooden picture frames, found wood and plaques that cross my path from time to time (often for free). I feel good about giving these unwanted homeless items a second life, not only because trees were cut down at some point to produce them, but also because by the time I get my hands on them they are usually destined for the landfill.)


Rest in Peace, Anne, Emily and Charlotte



0
My December Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: 'The Mushroom...', by Emily Dickinson




It's the 20th of the month today!  And so, the Nibblefest Art Contest is upon us once again, with  the theme this month being 'Mushrooms'....:

My December Nibblefest entry entitled, 'The Mushroom", a tribute to Emily Dickinson




I do believe this "Mushrooms" theme was actually my own idea, from back in the Spring when the Nibblefest mods were requesting up and coming monthly theme suggestions for voting.  'Mushrooms' ended up winning the popular vote for December '12 in an online poll -- pretty cool.  So, it might have been reasonable to  assume, that with my suggestion of such a thing, I likely had at least SOME concept in my head at the time how I might want to approach it.  But you would be wrong, because I ended up JUST as stumped as usual this month, scratching my head with what had originally been my own suggestion in the first place....!  And so, as I've blogged about before, I reverted to my most favorite of all defaults in such situations: the looking to Music and Literature for my personal artistic inspiration (with Literature winning out this time around -- because really, just how many songs about mushrooms do you know, lol...?).

Contemplating 'mushrooms' in Literature, the first thing to pop into my head was, naturally, "Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland".  And indeed I was all set to go for that, maybe even as a little companion piece to my 'Cheshire Cat' from several months ago -- except a second idea 'sprang up' (pun intended) that I really couldn't resist.  A little poem, by that most prolific of writers of 19th century American verse, the venerable Emily Dickinson (with the fact that it was actually even her birthday a mere 10 days ago, her 182nd, seeming an especially good omen....): 

 A portrait of Emily Dickinson, 5" x 8.5"

The mushroom is the elf of plants,
At evening it is not;
At morning in a truffled hut
It stops upon a spot


As if it tarried always;
And yet its whole career
Is shorter than a snake’s delay,
And fleeter than a tare.


‘Tis vegetation’s juggler,
The germ of alibi;
Doth like a bubble antedate,
And like a bubble hie.


I feel as if the grass were pleased
To have it intermit;
The surreptitious scion
Of summer’s circumspect.


Had nature any outcast face,
Could she a son contemn,
Had nature an Iscariot,
That mushroom, 
– it is him.
 

--By Emily Dickinson

............


I love this playful little poem by Miss Emily D.  It's wonderful to recite aloud (try it!), with its rhythm and cadence, and tongue-twisty wording -- all of which she was such a master of.  And no, I'm not going to pretend that I understand completely every word of it (I mean, please: "Tare"...?  "Hie"...?), but I surely get the gist.  A nature lover, it's her own wee ode to Nature's little 'elf', the mushroom -- with its sneaky and surprising way of popping up right up out of the ground, like it owns the place, seemingly from nowhere, and seemingly overnight.....
 
 My auction description: 

Miss Dickinson was herself as much an enigma as the mushroom she so poetically describes.  An expressive composer of over 1700 poems, she never actually received wide recognition within her lifetime.  An intensely private person, she instead became known more for her reclusiveness and penchant for wearing all white than she ever did for her writing.  It was only after her death, when her secret stash of poetry was discovered by a relative that the astonishing scope of her work was finally revealed.

Emily Dickinson never married nor had children, but she gave birth to a legacy of another kind:  an incredible body of poetic verse, that continues to speak to us today nearly two centuries later.  Thus I portray Miss Dickinson in this, my tribute portrait, in a dress of white, and cradling a mushroom, my own symbol for her vast poetic talent and productivity, as one might hold a child (with the first several lines of her lovely untitled 'Mushroom' poem handwritten above).....

............

To see ALL the great 'Mushroom'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
just here....

0
My NIbblefest Art Contest Entry: November's 'Nature' Theme:





"Mother Nature's Son" (5" x 10.5")

 

Nibblefest Art Contest time rolls around, once again.  This month's contest began on the 20th, as usual -- and as usual I did come up with an original entry, though with the Thanksgiving hubbub tucked in there I am only now getting around to blogging about it.  Better late than never right? 

I did find this month's "Nature" theme, nature lover that I am, pretty irresistible.  I adore nature, revering it in all its forms.  It never fails to be an endless source of wonder and fascination for me, as it has my whole life long.  I often incorporate elements of the natural in my artwork as a matter of course anyway -- so why should it have been any sort of challenge coming up with my entry concept this month?  I guess because as a theme it may have been a little TOO broad perhaps....?   Too many ideas, crowding my thoughts and conflicting with each other.  And so I turned to my two trusty inspirational defaults so handy in such situations:  Music, and Literature.  Music trumped this month, when the vintage Beatles tune "Mother Nature's Son" popped into my head (my older siblings played the heck out of the 'White Album' in my early years, spinning it as they did via the one family stereo system we all shared in our living room -- the result of which being those songs forever etched into my brain, lol)....


The following is my auction description:

"...Mother Nature's Son..."

   My entry for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFC) (~the theme for November being 'Nature') is an original acrylic painting on vellum mounted permanently onto a thin, 5"x10.5" section of old, found wood.  'Mother Nature's Son' is signed on the front, and ready to hang...

...........

The art I make often incorporates natural subject matter, so it might be 'natural' to assume my entry for this month's contest, with its 'Nature' theme,  was a no-brainer.  It's wasn't, but only because of my fetish of always trying to capture personal meaning in whatever I decide to tackle.  It really must speak to me.  This month was no exception, as I found myself turning to music for my inspiration -- when an old Beatles song popped into my head as I ruminated upon "Nature".   I well remember my older brothers and sister playing the Beatles' "White Album" around the house as I was growing up.  I so loved the song, "Mother Nature's Son", with its simple lyrics and sweet, understated melody (plus I  also recall my enthusiastic joining in of the "Doo doo doooooo" chorus!).  But how best to interpret this old song...?
 
Born a poor young country boy,
Mother Nature's son.
All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone.

Sit beside a mountain stream.  See her waters rise.
Listen to the pretty sound of music
as she flies.

Find me in my field of grass,
Mother Nature's son.
Swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sun,

Mother Nature's son....
 


I finally decided to paint my very own version of a Mother Nature's Son, a true product of his environment, soaking up the sun and fresh air as he entertains an audience of assorted wild critters (noting of course that I *had* to include a Blackbird in the assemble -- a nod to yet another  favorite tune off the same album). 

.............


To see ALL the great 'Fantasy'-themed Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month
(with each starting at just .99 cents!),
here....

 

0
Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "Air", A Painting entilted "Wash Day" (And My #22 & #23 Faces of the '29 Faces' Challenge)....

Nibblefest Art Contest:  3.5 x 8 painting: 'Wash Day".....

The fourth of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"

We have here a painting entitled, "Faith in a Seed" and my entry for "Air".  It also happens to be my Faces #22 and #23 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.   (YESSSSS!!!  I am officially caught up!!!  Only 6 more Faces to go!)

The following is my auction description:


".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Wash Day' is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction.

This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Air'.

We don't own a working dryer.  By choice.  Years ago, when the heating element of our old, second hand dryer burned out, we just never bothered to get it fixed, or replaced.  I didn't use it that often anyway, preferring as I always have an old-fashioned clothesline.  Air drying clothes saves money and energy, besides the fact that you just can't beat that fresh, air-dried smell.  And so we have here a busy Mama and her little helper, on 'Wash Day' (unfortunately my own 'little helper' isn't nearly this cheerful when it comes to our clothesline.  She wants our dryer back.....!)

0
Nibblefest Art Contest entry, for 'Water': a painting called "Faith in a Seed" (Plus my #20 and #21 Faces of the '29 Faces' Challenge)

NIbblefest Art Contest: 3.5 x 8 painting, "Faith in a Seed"

The third of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"

This is a painting entitled, "Faith in a Seed",  and my entry for "Earth".  It also happens to be my Faces #20 and #21 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.

The following is my auction description:

"Faith in a Seed"**

".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Faith in a Seed' is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction.

This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Earth'.

I am a gardener, from a long line of gardeners.  Flowers, veggies, herbs, houseplants -- I can't say I'm the best at it, but digging in the dirt has been a source of enjoyment and satisfaction for me for much of my life.  Over the years I've tried to lovingly instill a passion for gardening within my own children (the planting of 'seeds', both literal and figurative), as my parents did with me .  Time will tell to see if it actually 'sticks', but I'm hopeful...."

_________

(**Some might recognize the title from the book by Henry D. Thoreau)
 

0
Nibblefest Art Contest Entry AND Face #19, "Bird Bath".....

Nibblefest Art Contest: 3.5 x 8 "Bird Bath".....


My second of my four Nibblefest Art Contest entries, the theme for May being 'The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air"
( for auction link).

This is a painting entitled, "Bird Bath",  and is my entry for "Water".  It also happens to be my Face #19 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge (and no, I am not counting the bird faces, though I'll admit I was mighty tempted to...!).  So yes, plenty of overlap-age here, and to come.....

The following is my auction description: 

"....Bird Bath...."

".....One of four entries by me for this month's Nibblefest Art Contest (NFAC) (~the theme for May being "The Elements:  Fire, Water, Earth and Air") is an original acrylic painting of vellum, mounted permanently onto a 3.5" by 8" reclaimed wooden board (3/4 " thick).  'Bird Bath is signed and ready to hang (not the original is sharper and more colorful that appears in this flat scan).  This is a 5 Day auction. 


This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Water'.

When contemplating 'Water', I happened to look outside my window to observe the bird bath in my yard.  It's always a hip-happening neighborhood spot in the Spring....." 
_________


So as mentioned in my previous post, I admit I struggled a bit with this month's theme, 'The Elements'. Ordinarily I adore working with themes, and having looked ahead and knowing this one was coming up, I had no reason to assume it would be any more challenging than any other month's theme.  In fact I at first figured it might even be easier.  However when it finally came down to the brass tacks, and I was trying to rustle up my concepts, the fact that there was sort of a "theme within a theme" thing happening here threw me off a bit.  Obviously, something like "The Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air" was just asking for all four entries to be a cohesive 'set' in some way.  Being as that I do like to relate my subject matter to myself in personal and meaningful ways, I was having issues coming up with four interchangeable concepts that all could all somehow relate to one another.  It was easy enough to conjure up four very random ideas, which I initially did at first -- but conceptualizing the four 'separate but equal' ideas proved...a little harder.  And yet I managed -- a little late perhaps (5 Day auctions instead of 7), but hopefully not a dollar short as they say (being as that the bidding starts at just a buck, heh.....!).....


0
NIbblefest Art Contest: My Faces #17 & #18, "Moths to Flame"

"Moths to Flame", 3.5 x 8 painting
One of my four Nibblefest entries, entitled "Moths to Flame".....

The Nibblefest Art Contest rolls around yet again!  (Nibblefest being the fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition hosted via Ebay).  I got all hung up regarding the theme this month, indecisively puttering and plodding along, and ending up missing the official start day on the 20th.  I kept on working though, and have since been able to join the contest with 5 day auctions (thank goodness for that 2nd chance option!). The following is my "Moths to Flame" auction description:

"....This month's Nibblefest theme, 'The Elements', was quite different than usual.  Being as that there are four classical elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air), we were allowed to enter a total of four pieces rather than the usual limit of three, provided that each pertained to a separate element.  This is my entry for 'Fire'.

When contemplating 'Fire', it brought to mind my own children.  When my kids were small, they were absolutely fascinated with fire.  Camp fires, cookouts, the gas stove, birthday candles -- ALL of it attracted my children, as I used to say, 'like moths to flame'.  And they could never seem to resist 'experimenting'.  For years  I would be given nice scented candles as gifts, but never felt comfortable burning them around the house because I knew in short order my kids would show up....to huff and puff upon the flame, to poke their little fingers into the melted wax, or tilt the candle to make the wax run or the flame flicker.  It was enough to drive me bananas!  I was just afraid they might hurt themselves.  Happily nowadays they are WELL over that particular stage in life, but I will never forget those long years of my own two little "moths"....."


It's true -- my dear son especially was a little (ok, a lot!) obsessed with fire when he was a youngster.  Not in an pathologically unhealthy way necessary...., but definitely in a drive-your-mama-crazy sort of way.  Let's just say that an ordinary campfire could keep him occupied and entertained for HOURS, heh.  (And I was always so bemused and jealous when I went to friends' homes and they had their scented candles lit and glowing while their own kids remained blissfully disinterested....!)....

In any case, I did streamline things this month by overlapping '29 May Faces', with 'Elements'.  Works for me....! 

(To see the four of MY Nibblefest entries, here.  To see ALL of the Nibblefest 'Element' entries as entered this month, here.  Nibblefest Art Contest: fine art starting at just .99 cents!)...

0
Day 11 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge: 'New Moon', 5 x 5 Acrylic Painting

"New Moon":  a 5 x 5 Acrylic painting on re-purposed wooden Board....








Day 11 of the '29 Faces' May Challenge.  18 more Faces to go.....


I was looking forward tonight to what I was expecting to be a quiet evening here at home -- hanging out in the studio, catching up on all my various painting pursuits (in particular my Student Art Journal Project, which I still have TONS to work on before they are to be finished by Tuesday!), perhaps even getting back to some much-neglected email correspondence.  Only I ended up instead spending the better part of this evening tracking down unauthorized usages of a couple of my art images.  So much for my plans!  But oh well -- these things come up all the time and have to be addressed, besides just being part and parcel of the managing of one's own art business.  Unfortunately it did mean though that I did NOT get around to painting as I'd hoped to though.  Happily however, I still have a 'new' Face up my sleeve -- one that I've been hoarding precisely for such emergencies.  And so we have here the companion piece to the painting I posted as my Face for Day 3 of the Challenge, my portrait of the Sun   -- a painting that, like my Sun portrait, I had created late last month, but never had the opportunity to officially blog about yet (until now!).....
 
As mentioned in that previous post, I entered two small works in late April to a local art show, whereby all the art submitted was 5 x 5 in size, and pertained to the theme "What You Love".   It was a lovely spring day the morning I set out to create my entries, and, having decided to paint the Sun as one of my beloved 'things', of course I then also simply HAD to paint a Moon. These things go hand in hand as far as I'm concerned....!

Here they are as a happily anthropomorphic, celestial set:


The Moon and the Sun, two 5 x 5 Paintings for the local 'What I love"-Themed Art Show

0
My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "MEDUSA" (April's theme: 'Reptiles')


"...MEDUSA..." 
(acrylic on vellum mounted permanently on a 5" round piece of found piece wood)
Yesterday I wrote about my first entry into this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, a painting entitled "Two Turtle Doves".  Today I am writing about the above painting, my second entry for April's Nibblefest.....
 
As I kvetched yesterday, the theme of 'Reptiles' this month really had me dragging my feet at first -- still, determined as I was, I set out to come up with at least two appealing ideas for myself.  I had already decided upon the idea for 'Two Turtle Doves', when my thoughts turned to probably that most quintessential of all reptiles, the serpent.  But how to incorporate 'snakes' into an attractive Nibblefest entry, one that anyone might care to bid on, much less one I would be motivated to even paint in the first place...?

One idea that seemed potentially promising was "Cleopatra".  Cleopatra has often been popularly portrayed as sporting an elaborate gold cobra headpiece, as well as spiral snake bracelets.  Furthermore she is legendarily believed to have  ended her own life by allowing herself to be bitten by poisonous asps.  Intriguing to be sure, but still, even after plenty of rumination, the idea for an art composition involving any of this just did not materialise in my head.  Discouraged, I asked my daughter, who was in the room with me at the time, what she thought about "Cleopatra", or "snakes".  She responded with, 'Hmmm, Cleopatra's cool. But what about that woman with snakes for hair...?"   As soon as the words left her mouth I knew I had my second entry -- Medusa!  Of course, the perfect thing -- what a clever girl!

But how best to portray Medusa, that mythological beast/woman, whose mere gaze could turn men into stone -- and upon what?  I recalled an odd small bit of wood I'd picked up at the end of a local rummage sale last year, and for free no less because it was to be tossed out.  It was round, 5" in diameter, with a groove on the back edge of it, making me think that it was originally the lid for a kitchen canister or some such.  It must have appeared somehow potentially useful to me at the time, because I pocketed it, brought it home and stashed it in my studio -- and fortunately was able to find it after only a moment's fishing.  Thus, after a little sanding, I had my canvas (regular readers know I get a perverse thrill from re-purposing seemingly useless objects) -- perfect because with it's round shape, it does rather resemble a little an old, ancient artifact of antiquity.  And as for my portrayal of the legendary Gorgon?  Contrary to the usual image of a hideous Medusa with wild and crazy snake hair, I decided to paint my own Medusa as dangerously beautiful, with a thick, colourful braid of intertwined serpents.  It's how I see her in my head.

'MEDUSA': Side View

To see ALL the various 'reptillian' Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month (which ends tomorrow, on the 27th), please check out this link..... 
 
(My usual little blurb regarding the Nibblefest Art Contest:  Nibblefest is a fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition open to all.   It begins the 20th of each month, and is hosted via Ebay.  Bidding for entries starts at .99 cents -- fun for artists AND collectors...!  Please see the Nibblefest Facebook Fan Page for official rules and more information: https://www.facebook.com/nibblefest?ref=tn_tnmn )

0
My Nibblefest Art Contest Entry: "Two Turtle Doves" (April's theme: 'Reptiles')

"Two Turtle Doves" 
(acrylic on vellum mounted permanently on a 3.5 x 8 found piece of wood)

One of my entries for this month's Nibblfest Art Contest, the theme for April being 'Reptiles' (for auction link).


And so, here I am, behind in my blogging once more....(!).  How does that even happen?  Well, the usual way I'm afraid --  boiling down to old-fashioned, 'Art of Patience'-style poor time management...!  You know the saying, "Money slips through her fingers".  That is definitely NOT my problem -- I can be and am very efficient with finances (hanging on for dear life when I have to, lol!).  But time?  Whole n'other story!  And so, despite the fact I know I have it in me to blog regularly (heck, I blogged Every. Single. Day! during the month of February.  Remember the '29 Faces Challenge'?), not to mention that I'd promised myself I was going to be more consistent, here is my first post for this month of April.  Oh well, better late than never, yes...?

In any case, the good news is that while I haven't been busy with blogging in April, I have been busy with art making, which is I suppose what really matters.  Several art deadlines have come and gone that I want to write about -- including this month's Nibblefest Art Contest, which began as usual last Friday, the 20th, the theme being 'Reptiles'.....

Well, as anyone familiar with my artwork and habits knows, I love myself the challenge of a good, juicy art theme, mmm-hmmm.  But 'Reptiles'.....???  I wouldn't have counted that as one of them.  In fact my heart sank a little when I first discovered Reptiles WAS the theme. I even considered for .4758 nanoseconds maybe just sitting this month out.  That's how much the theme didn't speak to me.  That is, until two ideas came to mind that I actually really loved.  A lot.  And so I probably ended up having more of a hoot working on this month's Nibblefest entries than I have for the past themes that I actually LIKED.  Ha, typical...!

The idea for the painting above popped into my head when I was ruminating upon Turtles, and racking my brain for any appealing idea.... when the phrase 'two turtle DOVES' came to me.  And so here we have my entry entitled, 'Two Turtle Doves", featuring a young girl cuddling her Turtle Dove friend.  I can well relate personally to this image myself, what with being the owner of a beloved pet bird.  He is a geriatric cockatiel and not a dove, but every bit as sweet and cuddly as this picture suggests -- in fact, he pretty much free-ranges our house and every day will find him and me in a similar pose at some point or other.  At any rate, thank goodness it is acceptable to take (reasonable) liberties with Nibblefest Art Contest theme interpretations...!

To see ALL the great, 'reptillian' Nibblefest Art Contest entries this month, check out this link.....

(My usual little blurb regarding the Nibblefest Art Contest:  Nibblefest is a fun and friendly, monthly themed art competition open to all.   It begins the 20th of each month, and is hosted via Ebay.  Bidding for entries starts at .99 cents -- fun for artists AND collectors...!  Please see the Nibblefest Facebook Fan Page for rules and more information: https://www.facebook.com/nibblefest?ref=tn_tnmn )


Older Post ►
Langganan: Postingan ( Atom )
 

Copyright 2011 Art of Patience is proudly powered by blogger.com